Total’s Philippe Sauquet, president of gas, renewables and power, said the project would “benefit from synergies with existing infrastructure and from a significant shipping cost advantage for our customers in Asia.”

Total, which already is putting its LNG export stamp in Texas and Louisiana, last Monday entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help Sempra develop ECA and the Cameron, LA, LNG facility now underway. Total is a 16.6% stakeholder in Cameron LNG; Mitsui also is a joint venture partner.

According to terms of the MOU, Total may take up to 9 mmty of combined offtake from the Cameron project and the ECA facility. (Total also has a 23% stake in Tellurian Inc.’s proposed Driftwood LNG for Louisiana, which would have capacity to export up to 27.6 mmty if the project advances.)

The ECA LNG receipt terminal was the first constructed on the west coast of North America, about 15 miles north of Ensenada, Baja California. The terminal began commercial operations in 2008 and is capable of processing up to 1 Bcf/d.

The HOA with Mitsui is “another significant milestone to further strengthen the strategic partnership with Sempra LNG and IEnova in a broad range of business opportunities," said Mitsui’s Hirotatsu Fujiwara, COO of Energy Business Unit II.

In June, TechnipFMC and Kiewit were selected as the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contractor for ECA.

In addition to the ECA and Cameron facilities, Sempra is developing the Port Arthur, TX, LNG export project, which would have two liquefaction trains capable of producing 11 mmty if it advances.

The ultimate participation of Total, Mitsui and Tokyo Gas in ECA LNG remains subject to finalizing definitive agreements, among other things.

Managing Editor | Houston, TXCarolyn Davis joined the editorial staff of Intelligence Press Inc. in Houston in May, 2000. Prior to that, she covered regulatory issues for environmental and occupational safety and health publications. She also has worked as a reporter for several daily newspapers in Texas, including the Waco Tribune-Herald, the Temple Daily Telegram and the Killeen Daily Herald. She attended Texas A&M University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Houston.
carolyn.davis@naturalgasintel.com

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